Christians must protect quality of life

In 2011, the Catholic Bishops of the United States of America wrote a document titled "Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship: A Call to Political Responsibility from the Catholic Bishops of the United States."

In this document, these spiritual leaders remind all Christians a very important truth - ours is a dual heritage: we are Christians (Catholic), rooted in Scripture and tradition, and we are citizens of the USA, rooted in our Constitution and religious freedom.

With that written, what must be added is a clarification. It is St. Paul who, of course, is the truthsayer here: "Our citizenship is in heaven "»" (Philippians 3:20). We are first pilgrims in America because our real homeland is heaven, and to live that truth, we must be true to those ideals of our homeland, those ideals of heaven.

Yet, as Jesus directed, "Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar's, and unto God the things which be God's" (Luke 20:25), the Christian has a right and a duty to participate in public life. But this insertion into public life is for the purpose of injecting our hometown, heavenly ideals, not to become overwhelmed by the pitfalls of politics and office.

The document offers six important issues facing our country today. Certainly these are not the only issues, but this six-part brush is meant to paint wide strokes to include many other related and just-as-important issues.

First on the list of problems is abortion and the threatening move toward legalizing euthanasia; 2) Forcing Catholic and faith-based institutions to violate conscience - the threat to religious liberties; 3) Issues that break down marriage and family life; 4) Economic crisis, unemployment, rising level of poverty, and the staggering $16 trillion debt this country is handing down to its children and greats; 5) Immigration issues and reformation with dignity; and 6) (certainly not the least) war, terrorism and mounting violence.

Pondering these six central issues is meant to awaken in us the Holy Spirit that dwells within us so we may work hard and vote to correct these evils that hurt or even destroy the quality of life God intends us to have while we are pilgrims on this earth. It is the Christian who must be trans-partisan, we are the ones to transform political parties not vice versa. We are to be salt that preserves and enhances (Matthew 5:13) and light that enlightens (Matt 5:14).

As was the mission of Jesus, so it is with his body, the church. The mission of Jesus and his body (individual Christians) is to get people to heaven through love and justice tempered with mercy. Part of love involves the defense and promotion of quality of life for all people from the womb until the tomb and every stage in between, working hard at a consistent ethic of life.

Will my vote better peoples' chances to get to heaven by defending, promoting, and protecting the weakest? I pray it will be yes! Our responsible, Jesus-based citizenship in this great country can and must make a difference.

Monsignor Keith DeRouen is a Roman Catholic priest and the pastor of Our Lady Queen of Angels Catholic Church in Opelousas.

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Christians must protect quality of life

In 2011, the Catholic Bishops of the United States of America wrote a document titled 'Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship: A Call to Political Responsibility from the Catholic Bishops of